Chants unattached to psalms whose texts praised the Virgin Mary or other saint, often in rhyme, sung either in the divine office or in processions to accompany litanies on their feast days. Marian antiphons have traditionally concluded compline every day since the 13th century. Many were composed in the late Middle Ages, but four of the longer ones—Alma redemptoris mater, {}Ave regina coelorum, Regina coelorum laetare, and Salve regina — have been sung widely down through modern times.
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Salve Regina
Salve, Regina, mater misericor- | Hail, Queen, mother of mercy,
diae: vita, dulcedo, et spes nos- | our life, sweetness and hope. To
tra, salve. Ad te clamamus, | you we cry, banished children
exsules, filii Hevae. Ad te | of Eve. To you we sigh, mourn-
suspiramus, gementes et flentes | ing and weeping in this valley
in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia | of tears. Therefore, our Advoergo,
Advocata nostra, illos tuos | cate, turn your eyes of mercy
misericordes oculos ad nos con- | toward us. And after this our
verte. Et Jesum, benedictum | exile show to us the blessed
fructum ventris tui, nobis post | fruit of your womb, Jesus. O
hoc exsilium ostende. O clem- | clement, o pious, o sweet Virgin
ens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. | Mary.